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To import contacts into Mailchimp, open Audience → Add contacts → Import contacts, choose a file, spreadsheet paste, or connected app, then confirm the audience, organize contacts, and review field mapping before finishing. The steps below cover email contacts; importing SMS contacts follows a separate process.
Choose an import method
Mailchimp offers three ways to bring email contacts into an audience. Pick the route that matches where your data is and how it is structured.
| Method | Use it when | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Upload a file | You have a prepared contact list saved as a CSV or TXT file. | You upload the file, choose an audience, and review organization and field-matching options. |
| Copy and paste | Your contacts are in a spreadsheet and you want to paste rows directly. | Use the import flow to paste the data, then check the destination audience and field mapping. |
| Connected app | Your contacts are stored in an app connected to your Mailchimp account. | Available apps can vary by account. Check the options shown in your import screen. |
Prepare your contact data
Before starting, check that the data includes only the contacts you intend to import and that each column contains the kind of information its Mailchimp field will store. Audience fields hold values such as email addresses and names, and the field type should fit the data. Mailchimp’s guide covers email contacts; SMS contacts have separate instructions, and its audience-field guidance says an application and approval are required before SMS contacts can be imported. See Mailchimp’s contact import guide and guidance on audience fields.
- For a file upload, save the contact data as CSV or TXT.
- Check column headings and values for errors before importing.
- If you plan to update existing records, look for empty cells in fields you want to preserve. Blank import fields can erase existing audience data when the update option is selected.
Import contacts step by step
- In Mailchimp, go to Audience → Add contacts → Import contacts.
- Choose the route that fits your data: upload a CSV or TXT file, copy and paste spreadsheet contacts, or select an available connected app.
- For a file import, upload the prepared file. Follow the prompts for the chosen route.
- Confirm the destination audience. Audiences do not share data, so verify that you selected the one where these records belong.
- Choose any organization options you need, such as available groups or tags.
- Review the field-mapping screen. Mailchimp automatically matches some columns, including the email-address column, but unmatched columns are not imported. Match each useful column to the appropriate audience field or leave out data you do not need.
- If you intend to update records already in the audience, select Update any existing contacts only after checking the import data for blanks.
- Review the import choices and complete the import.
Understand audience, groups, tags, and segments
Choose the audience first, then use its organization tools to make contacts easier to target. Mailchimp says audiences do not share data; a contact present in multiple audiences increases the total contact count. For many common setups, Mailchimp recommends one primary audience organized with tags or segments. Read Mailchimp’s audience-management guidance.
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- Groups represent categories or preferences shared by contacts, such as an interest they choose.
- Tags are flexible labels assigned by the account to describe or organize contacts.
- Segments are groups of contacts defined by conditions using contact data, tags, groups, and other criteria.
During import, assign contacts to available groups or apply tags if those options fit your setup. Segments are built from contact information and organization criteria rather than serving as a separate import destination.
Updating existing contacts safely
Selecting Update any existing contacts replaces existing audience-field values with the values in the import file. Mailchimp warns: “Blank fields overwrite and erase existing email contact data.” Check for empty cells before enabling the option, especially if the file contains only a partial update. The option applies to subscribed and non-subscribed contacts, but does not change the marketing status of existing contacts.
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Respect permission and marketing status
Get a person’s permission before adding them as a subscribed contact. Importing a list is not a way to turn unknown or unsubscribed contacts into subscribed recipients. The standard update-existing option does not alter existing contacts’ marketing status. If your purpose is suppression, Mailchimp documents a separate workflow for importing contacts as unsubscribed; use that status selection rather than treating a normal import as an unsubscribe operation. See Mailchimp’s instructions for importing unsubscribed contacts and its explanation of marketing statuses.
Mailchimp says unsubscribed contacts count toward the monthly marketing-contact limit for accounts created after May 15, 2019. Check the plan details in your own account before estimating capacity, since plan definitions and account rules can change.
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- ROOM-BY-ROOM ORGANIZATION – This chore book for adults helps plan, declutter, and optimize each room of your home with step-by-step guidance and dedicated checklists for a stress-free living environment.
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What happens after the import
Mailchimp says large imports may be reviewed by its abuse-prevention system. The first campaign sent to a newly updated audience may therefore send slowly while imported addresses are verified. Contacts added through an import do not receive the final welcome email. Do not assume the import will trigger that message or that the first campaign will send at its usual pace; see Mailchimp’s explanation of the import review process.
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